Monitoring the transition to new antiretroviral treatment regimens through an enhanced data system in Kenya

PLoS One. 2020 Apr 23;15(4):e0232104. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0232104. eCollection 2020.

Abstract

Background: While the scale-up of HIV services has improved national health management information systems (HMIS), there remain challenges in using routine data to guide the introduction of optimized antiretroviral (ARV) drugs.

Methods: Building on the recent enhancements to the HMIS in Kenya and coinciding with the introduction of a new ARV regimen, tenofovir+lamivudine+dolutegravir (TLD), we developed and implemented an enhanced data system (EDS) to improve availability of safety and efficacy data among people living with HIV (PLHIV) in Kenya. Using data from one health facility, we showcase how the EDS can be used to monitor ARV transition and identify missed opportunities to transition eligible patients to optimized regimes.

Results: The EDS was designed to create a comprehensive PLHIV database by triangulating patient-level data from the EMR, the pharmacy ARV dispensing tool (ADT) and HIV viral load (VL) databases. On a monthly basis, the database is de-identified and uploaded into a national data warehouse, with interactive dashboards. Using the EDS, we determined that of the 5,500 PLHIV ≥15 years on first-line ART at one facility, 4,233 (77%) had transitioned to optimized ARVs. Of the 1,267 still on legacy regimens, 459 (36%) were determined to be eligible and prioritized to switch.

Conclusions: This project illustrates how enhancements to the national HMIS can facilitate the use of routine patient-level data to monitor the transition to new ARVs and inform the national HIV response.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Anti-HIV Agents / pharmacology
  • Anti-HIV Agents / therapeutic use*
  • Data Systems*
  • Database Management Systems
  • Drug Monitoring
  • HIV Infections / drug therapy*
  • HIV Infections / virology
  • Heterocyclic Compounds, 3-Ring / therapeutic use
  • Humans
  • Kenya
  • Lamivudine / therapeutic use
  • Oxazines
  • Piperazines
  • Pyridones
  • Tenofovir / therapeutic use
  • Treatment Outcome
  • Viral Load / methods

Substances

  • Anti-HIV Agents
  • Heterocyclic Compounds, 3-Ring
  • Oxazines
  • Piperazines
  • Pyridones
  • Lamivudine
  • Tenofovir
  • dolutegravir

Grants and funding

This project was funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) through OPTIMIZE (Cooperative Agreement No. AID-OAA-A-15-00069), a global consortium dedicated to rapidly improving treatment outcomes for people living with HIV (PLHIV) by optimizing antiretroviral drugs and regimens and accelerating their introduction in low-and middle-income countries. USAID had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript. Palladium provided support in the form of salaries for authors JO and MG, but did not have any additional role in the study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript. The specific roles of these authors are articulated in the ‘author contributions’ section.